The researchers conducted three experiments on a group of participants to reach a conclusion. In one test, those who claimed to have an aversion to the word "moist" were asked if words that rhymed (like "hoist" and "rejoiced") gave them the same feelings of dread. They were then asked if words with similar meanings impacted them, like "sticky" and "damp." And finally they were asked to compare how vulgar words like "vomit" made them feel versus the word "moist."

The sample participants who already hated the word "moist" indicated that it was the words with related meanings that were the most unpleasant -- leading researchers to believe that the word itself just simply makes us thing of unpleasant things like bodily fluids.